Washing machine



Dec. 15I 1925- B. D. CHAMBERLIN WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN DAY CHAMBERLIN, oE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application med september s, 1922. serial No. 586,893.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN D. CHM- BERLIN, a citizen of the United States, re-V siding at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to washing machines of a compact type adapted particularly for use in apartment houses and lother places where the room is limited. One object of my invention is to provide a folding washing machine which is compact and simple to operate; another object is to provide a frame for the machine which can be folded so that the several parts of the machine will be contained in the standard type of stationary wash tub; another object is to provide connections between the several parts .of the machine which lend themselves to assembling and disassembling for setting up or folding the compact machine; and other objects will appear from Vthe following specification, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the This machine was particularly designed to conserve space and is constructed to fold completely into thef'standard double wash tub,such as is practically universally used.

can be folded below the level of the top i characters throughout t The shape of the frame'and partsl are such that a cover or lid can be placed on the tubs to serve vas a table when the machine is not in use, as the several parts of my machin;

o the tubs, only a very small section of the frame being above this plane.

In the drawings, in which like reference Fig. 1 is a view partly in section through a machine constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the washin machine drum, being taken on line .II-II ofFig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a part of the supporting frame of my machine;

Fig. 4=is a perspective of the frame of my machine;

- Fig. 5 is a section through one of the tubs showing part of my machine folded into a tub;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the tub driving mechanism;

I; ig. 7 is a plan vview of the driving yoke;

Fig; 8 is a section of the wringer.

The stationary wash tubs A B are of the usual type, made of concrete, stone or composition and comprise a rear wall a, side walls b, b, b, bottom wall c` and a slanting front wall (l. I provide a frame 1, (Fig. 4)

having raised portions 2 2 and 3 3 I adapted to lie upon the edges of the tubs, so asto leave the major portion of the frame either beneathor 'parallel to the upper edges c e of the tubs. This frame may be held in position in the tubs by means of the set screws 4 4, although the weight alone is sulicient to hold it somewhat less rigidly in place. Bearings v5 5 are provided in tub A for the drum shafts 6 and `12. In tub B there are bearings 7 7 which receive a rod 8 which forms the pintle upon which a table 9 is hinged, to fold into two positions as will be hereinafter more fully described. Thus the main frame consists of two sections l and 9 movable relative to each other. These parts may be held together by a latch 70, operated by a handle 7l and normally spring pressed into operative position by a spring 72. When the frames are in operative position, Fig. 3, latch extendsover the edge 9EL of section 9 retaining it in position. Pressure on handle 71 against spring 72 permits section 9 to fold to the position shown in Fior. 5. Y

The washing machine drum consists of two' sections 10 and-11; section 10 is shorter than section 11 and of slightly less diameter. Section 10 is provided wlth a stub shaft 12 These shafts on one end and 6 on the other.

engage bearings 5 of the frame and also supligure.) It should be noted that in this open position oneedge 15 of the section 11 engages a stop H6 on section 10'to` limit its rotation relative to the section 10 in one direction, and a latch 17 ivoted to drum 10 engages a in 18 on rum section 11, so that the sections form a complete drum when in the closed position. In this wa section 11 can be used 'as a door throng which" shaft 24. In order to keep the rack and pinion in mesh a floating carrier is used consisting of two plates 25 which swing upon shaft 12 and support two rollers 26 and 27 upon which the under side of rack 2O runs. This carrier rocks as the angle of the pitman alters as will be obvious. The relation of the pinion 19 to rack 20 is Such that the drum will revolve one revolution to each reciprocation of the pitman. This relation can be altered at will by merely changing lthe size ofthe pinion and the floating carrier above described.

' In the upper end of the pitman there is a notch 28 which engagesthe pin 29 :of the crank 23, and is held thereon by a spring latch 30. A cover 31 is hinged at 32.to the frame to protect these parts. Itis obvious that the pitman can be easily disf connected at any time by operating 'the latch.

Shaft 24 is power driven through bevel gears 34 and 35, shaft 36 reducing gears 37 and 38, shaft 39, gear 40 and the worm 41 which is mounted upon a friction collar 42, driven by the collar 43 rotated by the motor 44. This motor may be made to run in either direction and can be reversed while running.

A frame 45 is supported upon the hinged table 9, and is used to carry the parts de- `scribed in the preceding paragraph as well as to carry the wringer. This consists of rollers 46 and 47, connected rotatively by gears 48l and 49, the former of which is power driven through shaft 50, and bevel gears 51 and 52, the latter being keyed to power shaft 36. The wringer frame "53 is swingingly mounted upon this shaft, moving upon bearings 54 and 55, so that the wringer may be rotated upon shaft 36. From Fig. 8 it will be seen that the upper roller 47 is not carried upon the main wringer frame 53, but by bell crank levers 57 (one at each end) which are ivoted at 58 to the frame bearings 59. A ever 60 is pivoted to a lever 57 and is provided `with a toe 61 which ,is pressed outwardly by a block 62 whirh rests against a spring 63. A in 64 limits the downward movement of t e toe, but by drawing out on the handle 65 (direction of arrow Fig. 8) the toe slips from block 62 permitting Vroller 47 to raise to dashed line position. This movement makes the wringer safe and in addition can be used when the clothes do not run through the rollers properly. It should be noted that each side of roller 47 is supported by a bell crank lever 57, and that a spring 63 is used on each side to keep the rollers under proper tension. I prefer to use only one operating lever 60 however and to connect both bell crank levers 57-57 together by a shaft 64 so that both .bell crank levers will be simultaneously actuated. It is obvious that two handles may beused if desired.

` Fromvthe foregoing-description it will appear. that I have provided a washing machine which is lfully equipped to do the work of larger machines, but nevertheless, which may be folded into stationary tubs. On one tub the frame folds so that the driving mechanism,motor and wringer can be lowered beneath the top of the tub and on the other side the washing drum itself is made to fold into itself to a. position below the top ofthe tub, so that, if desired, a flat top M can be placed over the folded machine.

Havingv thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a washing machine adapted to be mounted on a stationary tub, the combination of a frame adapted to support a drum, raised portions on the frame to engage the edges of the stationary tub thus .suspending the frame beneath the top of the tub, a second frame section, a motor drive mounted on the second frame section, a hinge connecting the two sections, and means adapted to hold the two sections together.

2. In a washing machine, ada ted to be mounted in a tub, the combination with a frame supported by a tub, of a drum supported by the frame, a second frame hinged to the first frame, and a drum operating mechanism carried by the second frame,

and means for disconnecting the drum fromits operating mechanism whereby the latter can be folded beneath the top of the tub upon which the frame is mounted.

3. In a Washing machine adapted to be mounted upon stationary tubs, the combination ofa two-part frame, with raised p0rtions on one part of the frame for supporting it iii a tub, the other part of the frame having ahinged connection to the first mentioned frame section, being movable to and from a washing tub, a latch adapted to hold the frame together when the second mentioned frame section is moved freni the washing tub, a power drive for the washing machine mounted on the hinged section, said hinged section being movable to an operative driving position above the tubs by moving the hinged section of the frame to a position above' the tub, the power drive tub, the two frames vcarrying washing 35 lying in the tub lwhen the frame is moved about the hinge in a reverse direction.

4. In a washing machine adapted to be mounted upon twin stationary tubs, the combination with a two-part frame, of a washing mechanism carried by one part of the frame in one tub, and a driving motor mounted on the other part of the frame, means for connecting the powei` drive to the washing mechanism when the former is raised on its frame to an operative position above the tub, said means being disconnectible to permit the motor to lie l`inside of a tub when moved to an inoperative position.

5. In a washing machine adapted to be mounted upon twin tubs, the combination with a frame supported upon one tub, a

washing mechanism mountedI thereon, a second frame section hinged to the first mentioned frame section, a motoi` mounted upon the hinged section, the hinge between the two sections of the frames permitting the motor to be folded to a position in which it will be entirely within one tub, and a fastening device mounted on one Vframe and adapted to cooperate with the other vframe by k which the two trames may' beheld together.

G. Inra Washing machine adapted to be mounted upon stationary tubs, the combination with a frame adapted to be mounted in` one tub, of a hinged frame section supported by the first mentioned frame, and being adapted to move into and out of another mechanism and a motor, and means for connecting the washing mechanism and the motor to operate together. c

'7. In a washing machine adapted to be mounted upon twin stationary tubs, the combination'with a frame adapted to support the washing mechanism suspended in one tub, of a second frame supported by the first and being movable with respect thereto into and. out of an operative position, means for holding the frames together when Vin an operative position, a motor carried by the second frame section, said motor being positioned above a tub when the frame has been moved, to an operative position, and lying inside of a tub when in an inoperative position.

8. In a washing `machine adapted to be mounted upon twin tubs, the combination with a main frame, a washing drum revolu- .bly supported therein, a second frame carried by the first mentioned frame being movably connected thereto, a motor mounted on the second frame, the second frame having operative and inoperative positions relative to the first frame, and means for connecting the motor in an operative position in which it is supported by the second frame above the tubs to the washing drum, whereby the motor may revolve the drum.

Signed at Rochester, NewYork, this 6th day of September, 1922.

BENJAMIN DAY CHAMBERLIN. 

